Nick & Johnny Stark portion snus, reviewing a snus that made the cut!

Welcome back Snustopians!

I was sitting in my office this week looking over all the reviews we’ve done so far when I realized that my 1 year anniversary with Swedish snus was last Sunday! Well, I actually didn’t remember it until the guys from my Ministry of Information presented me with an anniversary gift while they were singing the Snustopian National Anthem. It is a beautiful tune and sounds a bit like the theme song from Sanford and Son! At least that’s how the guys played it. Anyway, the gift they presented me with was a roll of a snus we’ve mentioned in a previous review but, never really did a proper review of. That snus is Nick & Johnny Stark portion snus.

If you remember back to the review of its siblings, Nick & Johnny East and West, we only mentioned Stark in passing but it’s the only one of the past Nick & Johnny family to avoid being discontinued. So, I figured if this flavor made it, we need to find out why it did and what makes it so special. Now, if you’re all ready, grab a comfortable seat, your favorite snus and a cold drink and get ready to discover Nick & Johnny Stark portion snus!



I know what you’re all saying, “Snus Guy, why would your Ministry of Information give you Nick & Johnny Stark as an anniversary present? We all know your favorite is Skruf!” Well, I think it’s because either they really like Nick & Johnny Stark or, I’ve been working them too hard lately and they were trying to make a point! Either way, I’ve been meaning to do a review on it for some time now. Nick & Johnny Stark was introduced to the snus world by Swedish Match in 2007 and, at that time, was the second strongest snus in the Swedish Match line behind General Onyx. It was also released as a totally new flavor with a focus on the younger crowd.

“Hey Snus Guy, why did they decide to call it Nick & Johnny?” That may surprise you! According to Swedish Match, Nick & Johnny were actually real guys and the snus was named after them. The sketch on the used portion compartment cap is of one of them! Whether or not this is the actual way Nick & Johnny was named, Nick & Johnny Stark is a unique snus in its flavor and Nicotine content so, let’s find out why! But first, let’s take a look at the basics of it then we’ll get to the flavors.

Nick & Johnny Stark is classified as a regular type portion since it goes thru the final step in the manufacturing process that adds a bit more water to each portion which helps the flavors marry and release its flavor faster when it’s in your lip. The material that Swedish Match uses for Nick & Johnny Stark is the same soft, teabag type material that they use in all their portion snus and stays pretty comfortable in the lip. I’ve had a portion in for over 2 hours with no discomfort to speak of just a bit of wrinkling. Each can of Nick & Johnny Stark has 24 portions that have 1 gram of snus in each one. The Nicotine level in them is 11 mg each which is why this version is named Stark or Strong.

The can that Nick & Johnny Stark comes in is pretty cool in the fact that it’s made of a white pearlescent plastic with a plasticized paper label. The lid is where the used portion compartment is and its cap has a sketch of one of the guys on its label. The can is round which is unique because the other two Nick & Johnny flavors, that have been discontinued, were square and part of the reason they were cut but, I’m letting my can obsession get the best of me so, before you all say anything, let’s go on to the flavor!

Like I said in the beginning, Nick & Johnny Stark’s flavor is pretty unique for a couple of reasons. The first being that it’s a pure tobacco flavored snus with very little added to it. The flavor of pure tobacco may not be something that all Snustopians have tasted, let alone understand when used in descriptions on Swedish snus flavors so, let’s explain it now so everyone understands! Tobacco has a very similar scent of Fall leaves. “Hey Snus Guy, why Fall leaves?” well, they are leaves and dried like leaves get in the Fall and, have the same scent as a pile of them when they are not processed. They do have their subtle differences in taste though. Tobaccos from Honduras and Cuba for example, have peppery notes in them while tobacco from America has a bit of a leathery flavor. There are even some tobaccos grown in Sweden that have a flowery, herbal taste and smell. In Nick & Johnny Stark, the tobacco flavor is of fall leaves and leather with a slight pepperyness. I hope this cleared up the pure tobacco flavor description a bit but remember, different people taste things that other people don’t so, what I taste in a snus may not be what you taste. Ok, let’s get back to the flavor review!

Along with the tobacco flavor, there are other elements in Nick & Johnny stark like licorice and a smoky flavor. While these elements are very subtle, they give the snus its unique character. The licorice flavor actually gives Nick & Johnny a bit of sweetness while the smokiness enhances the tobacco flavor while adding a bit of mellowness and depth. Tying everything together is the salty taste that, not only helps to raise the Ph level so the Nicotine comes out, brings the flavors together to make a well rounded snus flavor with the added Nicotine level that Swedish match was aiming for. The flavor also lasts for a pretty long time as well! I’ve had a portion in for over 2 hours when the flavor began to die out. So, now that you know what Nick & Johnny Stark tastes like, let’s see what drinks go best with it!

As you seasoned Snustopians know, my staple drinks are Diet Coke and Monster Energy Drinks and I try both with every snus I review. The Diet Coke did pretty well in bringing the smokiness out a bit more, it also took some of the saltiness away so the tobacco flavor could shine thru. Monster on the other hand made the snus a bit bitter but did bring the smokiness out as well. The best drinks I think that went well with Nick & Johnny Stark were iced black tea and iced coffee! Both drinks really complimented the snus for different reasons. The iced black tea enhanced the tobacco’s flavor while adding another depth in the earthy flavor. It also brought out the smokiness to add an element of sweetness as well. The iced coffee brought out the tobacco flavor as well but dimmed out the smokiness. This was not a bad thing though. Coffee tends to have a bitterness that mixes well with tobacco and intensifies it making the flavor of Nick & Johnny Stark even more unique.

My overall recommendations for Nick & Johnny Stark, Snustopians, is this; new Snustopians looking to explore the higher Nicotine brands will like Nick & Johnny Stark because it is strong but, not the mind numbing strong of the Extra Starks. Seasoned Snustopians will like the pure tobacco flavor and the higher Nicotine content plus the fact that it will make a great morning coffee snus but, this is my take, I’ll let you decide. At around $3.30 a can at stores like The Northerner, You really can’t go wrong with adding a can or two to your next order!

Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed our trip thru Nick & Johnny Stark and found it fun and informative! I encourage you to leave any comments or questions you may have about it or any snus in general and I’ll do my best to answer them as soon as I can.

So until our next review Snustopians, as always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

http://www.snustest.com/

Oden’s Extra Stark Original portion snus, reviewing the second flavor in the “Strongest snus in the world” line!

Greetings Snustopians!

I was sitting in my office this weekend here in beautiful Skruf Square, pouring over some of the past reviews we’ve done together, when I had realized that we haven’t reviewed an Extra Strong / Sterk / Stark portion snus brand in quite awhile! If memory serves me correctly, the last one we reviewed was Oden’s Cinnamon or Kanel so I thought to myself, there’s been a lot of talk out there on the other Oden’s Extra Strong portion flavors but not too much on Extra Strong Original portion! Until today!

Today we’ll be touring thru the third flavor in the Oden’s Extra Strong portion line, Original. I know what you’re thinking. “Hey Snus Guy, how could a relatively new brand of snus have an original flavor? Wasn’t Cinnamon the first flavor out?” Well, while I’m not entirely sure that Cinnamon was indeed the first flavor Gajane introduced in the Extra Strong portion line, I can shed a little light on the whole “Original” flavor name.

You see, in the beginning, snus manufacturers introduced snus as simply “snus”. Everyone knew that the flavor would inherently be of tobacco, salt and possibly bergamot. For example, Ettan, one of the oldest snus brands, first introduced snus back in 1822 and was flavored with just tobacco, salt and water. As snus began to evolve into the flavor assortment it is today, many manufacturers that began to add flavoring to their original recipes, needed to make a distinction between the “Original” flavor and its new flavor mixes. Thus, the “Original” flavor moniker was born. So, “original” on some cans of snus simply means plain tobacco flavor with a bit of salt. This is the case with Oden’s Extra Strong Original portion snus! I know, I took the long way to answer the question but, I hope this clears any confusion up. Back to the review!

As I said in the beginning Oden’s Extra Strong Original portion snus is another Extra Strong snus made by the folks at Gajane. The portions are made with the same tea bag material that Gajane uses in all its portion snus but the Original portions are a bit different than the Cinnamon portions. While the Cinnamon and Licorice portions seem to be overly wet, the Original portions are not. They are all classed as regular type portions which, as you all remember, go thru the additional wetting step to add a bit more moisture and flavor to the snus but, unlike its brothers, are not as wet. This makes Original’s portions stay in place longer but, delays the flavor release. Each portion of Extra Strong Original has a little less than 1 gram of snus and there are 24 portions in each can.

The Nicotine content in Extra Strong Original is the typical 17 mg per portion that all of Oden’s Extra Strong portions have making it still, to date, the strongest snus in the world! As I explained in the Oden’s Extra Strong Cinnamon, although there is a high amount of Nicotine in the Oden’s Extra Strong line, I really didn’t get the woozy, head spinning feeling one would expect with a high Nicotine snus. Rather, I got a real sense of calming with it! Although I still don’t recommend chain snusing it!

The can that Oden’s Extra Strong Original comes in is the same black plastic can that Cinnamon comes in with the Oden’s logo engraved on the lid. Unfortunately, there is no used portion compartment in the lid but, the engraving is pretty cool looking! I have noticed that the portions in Oden’s Original do tend to be inconsistently filled. What I mean is that some of the portions seem to have less snus in them. If I had to estimate a percentage of portions that are smaller, I’d guess probably around 10%. It may not be an issue with most Snustopians but, I figured I let everyone know!

The mouth feel with the portions are pretty comfortable no matter how they are filled. I’ve had a portion in for over 2 ½ hours with very little discomfort. Unlike Extra Strong Cinnamon, there is virtually no sliding or excess dripping of the snus with Original! Next up, the flavor!

I was actually pretty surprised with the flavor in Oden’s Extra Strong Original! “Surprised Snus Guy, you? We don’t believe it!” Yes, I know there is not too much that can surprise me but, Original did just that! But not like you would expect. While the flavor of Extra Strong Original is just as one would expect a snus that’s flavor is labeled “Original” would be, which is plainly tobacco and salt, it was the intensity of the flavor that actually surprised me!

The flavor is basic. By basic I mean just pure tobacco flavor with a salty element and a hint of black pepper but, unlike the Cinnamon, or even Licorice, where the flavor is immediate and intense, the flavor of Original is subtle and quite mellow. But just because the flavor is subtle, doesn’t mean it its short lived! The flavor seems to last for a long time! I’ve let a portion sit for over 3 ½ hours before the flavor died out. I still recommend the 2 ½ hour max for the best experience with flavor and comfort! So, what would go well to drink with Extra Strong Original? Let’s take a look.

As you may remember from our trip thru Oden’s Extra Strong Cinnamon (Kanel), I was a bit timid in trying one of my staple drinks, Monster Energy drink, so I decided to give it another go with the Original. While it still seemed to raise my heart rate a bit, the flavor was too strong for the snus. It seemed to drown out the subtle tobacco flavor. I got the same thing with my other staple, Diet Coke. I next tried a Black iced tea and it seemed to do the same thing! Here’s where I got confused. In all my time reviewing snus, one of these three drinks would always prevail against a lightly flavored snus. I gave one more thing a shot.

I normally drink coffee hot with a bit of sugar. I tried it with Original and I did taste a bit more of the tobacco flavor but, it’s beginning to turn warm outside here in Snustopia so, I tried it with an iced coffee. Wow! What a difference! The iced coffee I tried it with was just a plain Dunkin’ Donuts iced coffee with a bit of sugar but it really brought out the tobacco flavor and the bit of sugar helped to balance out the salt. If you’ve never tried an iced coffee with a tobacco flavored snus, I highly recommend you try it, especially with Extra Strong Original.

Another great pairing I found with Oden’s Extra Strong Original portion snus was iced Green tea. Not the flavored Green Teas that are out there, like Sobe or Arizona, just plain iced green tea. Since the tobacco flavor is light in Oden’s Extra Strong Original and the tea flavor is light in the green tea, both helped to enhance each other’s flavors.

So what’s my overall recommendation for Oden’s Extra Strong Original portion snus, you may ask? Well Snustopians, my overall recommendation is this: Oden’s Extra Strong Original portion snus is indeed just as strong as its siblings and has the same Nicotine effects as they do as well. There’s no head spins like you would expect from a snus with the highest Nicotine content on the market. Knowing this, I recommend that Snustopians who are big fans of the Extra Strong / Sterk / Stark snus give Oden’s Extra Strong Original a try but be warned, unlike it’s flavored siblings, Original’s flavor is pretty subtle.

Snustopians that want to try their hand at the Extra Strong / Sterk / Stark snus, but are a bit standoffish due to the effects, will like Oden’s Extra Strong Original because the Nicotine effects are not that strong. First time Snustopians, or Snustopians that have not yet strayed into snus with Nicotine contents over 9 mg, may want to consider starting off gradually and may find Oden’s Extra Strong Original much too strong to start the next level in the snus saga!

Speaking of which, like I did in the Oden’s Extra Strong Cinnamon review, I strongly advise against chain snusing Oden’s Extra Strong Original! As I did in the Cinnamon review, I sacrificed myself for all Snustopians and can tell you first hand; this is not a good idea! Even though there are no head spins, there can be some stomach issues related to using a high Nicotine snus back to back for a day so, please exercise caution when using Oden’s Extra Strong Original portion as well as any high Nicotine snus! I know, I know, that sounded like a public service message but, my Ministry of Information insisted on making sure we keep our fellow Snustopians informed!

Oden’s Extra Strong Original portion snus averages around $3.42 USD at Snustopia’s favorite place to buy snus, The Northerner. The Northerner carries all of Gajane’s brands along with all your other favorites and offer fast delivery and great customer service! If it’s your first time purchasing snus from them, just click on the banner to the right, and get 10% off your order! Just tell ‘em That Snus Guy sent you!

Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed our tour of Oden’s Extra Strong Original portion snus and found it fun and informative. I look forward to hearing your comments and questions and look forward to answering them as soon as I can!

As always Snustopians, until our next review,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

General Ekstra Sterk Loose snus, a review of General’s newest “available in America” snus!

Greetings my fellow Snustopians!

Today, I thought we would journey into the world of General Ekstra Sterk loose snus. Why, you may ask? Simple really, I know I’ve already done a review on General Ekstra Sterk portion snus so, you would think that the loose version couldn’t be much different. In all actuality, they are pretty close in the taste department with a few subtle differences. We’ll get into those in a bit but the main reason I wanted to get a review out for it is the fact that Ekstra Sterk loose will be released for sale in snus shops on the web soon! I’ll explain towards the end but, without further ado, let’s get into the review of General’s newest loose offering, General Ekstra Stark loose snus!

You’re probably asking yourselves, “Snus Guy, what’s with all these recent snus varieties being released for Americans?” Well, it looks like Swedish snus is becoming more and more popular in the states. Swedish Match, the makers of the General brand, is seeing this and, bringing Swedish snus to American snus lovers! I’m sure there is more to it than that but, SSNN (Snustopian Satellite News Network) really has been out of the loop on this one! Guess I’ll have to have a talk with them! Anyhow, I do have a Field Trip planned for us soon that will get these answers. More about that in another review but, let’s get back to Ekstra Sterk loose!

As I said before, General Ekstra Sterk loose is another offering by the folks at Swedish Match. Ekstra Sterk loose is a medium grind snus meaning that it packs pretty well and the pris holds its shape longer than a finer ground snus like Skruf Stark loose. Hand baking is relatively easy with Ekstra Stark loose provided you know how to do it. As you all know, I am hand bake challenged so, for this review, I used an Icetool to give you how the pris feels. Knowing this, making a pris by hand will yield a completely different type of feel as well as a different length of time the pris lasts before mudslide. Ok, enough about methods. Let’s get back to the snus!

The pris can get a bit hard if compressed too tightly with the tools so, I recommend a medium pressure on the plunger prior to putting the pris under the lip. Ekstra Sterk loose also has higher moisture content which, among other things, makes the pris last as well as making it comfortable. I got a pris to last about 3 hours before mudslide but, like I said before, hand baking will yield about 1 ½ hours to 2 hours before this happens. I recommend a 2 hour max with the tool and about 1 ½ hours with a hand baked pris. “Hey Snus Guy! Are you holding out on the Nicotine content? Is it the same level as the portions?” I’m glad you brought that up actually! The answer will surprise you.

When I got my can of General Ekstra Stark loose, I automatically assumed it would be just like the portion version in every way. I was really wrong. Like I said in the beginning, there are subtle differences in taste but, the Nicotine level is different as well. Where General Ekstra Sterk portions have 15 mgs of Nicotine per portion, Ekstra Sterk loose has 13 mgs of Nicotine per gram. Now don’t assume the worst like I did, let me explain a few things first. If you go off total weight, there are 22 portions in a can of Ekstra Sterk portions and there is 45 grams of snus in a can of loose. Each portion has a little over 1 gram of snus in them but, when you make a pris of loose, you typically use about 1.3 to 1.5 grams of snus. I know I do! So, when you look at it that way, you’re getting the same Nicotine content with the loose as you would with the portions but there’s another difference, the release!

Loose snus, as we have discussed before, does release Nicotine faster than portions do. Why, you ask? Really simple, the tobacco makes direct contact with your gums in the loose type. With portions, the material acts as a bit of a barrier so; it takes a little longer for the Nicotine to hit the gums. That’s also the reason why there is a saltier taste in portions over loose. The salt interacts with the tobacco to allow the Nicotine to release. That’s the way I look at it anyway so, don’t fret Snustopians, just remember that you can control the amount of Nicotine you get with any loose snus just by adjusting the size of the pris! So, on to the taste!

One would think that Ekstra Stark loose and portion would taste exactly the same. If you think that, like I did at first, you would be wrong but not entirely wrong. While other snus flavors, like V2’s Phantom blue for example, do have a distinct difference in taste between the portion variety and the loose, this is not the case with Ekstra Sterk. An overview of Ekstra Sterk portion’s flavor would be pure tobacco with a lemony, not citrusy, background and slightly salty with peppery notes and a bit of smoky flavor, the only thing that would be different in the loose variety would be the absence of the salty taste, less smoke flavoring and a more defined tobacco flavor! “Snus Guy, this is not your normal rambling on flavors! What gives?” Well, I forgot that some Snustopians may not have read the original Ekstra Stark portion review so, if you click on this link "General Ekstra Sterk Portion snus review", it will take you to the review and you can get a better understanding.

Another thing about the flavor difference is the length of time it lasts between the two. I said in the portion review that I got about 2 ½ hours from a portion before it began to get bitter. With the loose, I got 3 hours before mudslide began to take over but, there was still flavor and, no bitterness. I still recommend a 2 hour max with Ekstra Stark loose for full enjoyment! Now, what to drink with Ekstra Stark loose?

Loose snus always proves to be a challenge to drink with for new Snustopians! It takes a bit of practice to be able to take a drink without either completely destroying the pris or, swallowing half of it but, there are a few tricks you can use! The first one is pretty obvious, using a straw! The biggest complaint I hear, and have experienced in the beginning, is drinking from a glass.

Be it a cup of coffee, A glass of iced tea or a pint of Guinness, it can be a challenge to learn how to drink from a glass with a pris of loose under your lip! The only method I can offer is this; when going to take a drink, don’t suck the drink from the glass or cup, just raise the vessel and tip out the drink in your mouth. Doing this will allow the upper lip to relax and thus keeping it from crushing the pris! As you use loose more, you’ll find better ways but, this is the method I use and I use loose almost 40% of the time! “Hey! Professor Snus Guy! We appreciate the how-to-use-a-glass sermon but, you’re going off topic again!” Oops, sorry! I just wanted to hit this topic a little so I don’t get angry emails from new Snustopians. Ok, back to actual drinks!

I’m not going to bore you with the Diet Coke test because I think it goes well with General Ekstra Sterk Loose. Monster on the other hand, overpowered the taste of the snus. I prefer iced tea with Ekstra Sterk. Southern Style Sweet tea pairs well with it but, I did have iced Earl Gray as well and it tended to be a bit too strong. As I said in the taste review, Ekstra Sterk looses’ flavor isn’t quite as strong as it’s portioned brother so, stronger flavored drinks tended to bury the snus’ flavor. Stick with lighter flavored drinks and you’ll be able to enjoy both!

My overall recommendation for General Ekstra Sterk loose snus my fellow Snustopians is this; Those Snustopians that like the portion version of Ekstra Sterk, will find the loose version just as likeable. Snustopians that are fans of strong snus and loose snus will really enjoy it as well. New Snustopians that are currently using Copenhagen or, a tobacco flavored Smokeless will immediately fall for Ekstra Sterk loose as well. Since both versions are getting ready to be released in the states, I do recommend Cope users give it a shot!

Like I said, General Ekstra Sterk loose, or lös, will be available soon at snus shops like The Northerner with other new General brands. The average cost for General Ekstra Stark loose runs about $3.49 a can depending on where you buy it but remember Snustopians, if you click on The Northerner banner at the top of the page and it's your first order, you can get 10% off!

Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed our tour of General Ekstra Sterk loose snus by Swedish Match and found it helpful. Please leave any questions, comments or suggestions in the comments area. I look forward to reading and answering them as soon as I can.

As always,

Happy Snusing!

That Snus Guy

Skruf Stark Portion and White portion. Reviewing the original Stark portion snus brands!

Welcome back Snustopians!

You may be asking yourselves why I chose to do a review on both Skruf Stark Portion snus and Skruf Stark White portion snus this week. The reason why is pretty simple actually! Skruf Stark portion has always been on my list of snus to review and just when I was getting ready to introduce it to you, Skruf came out with Skruf Stark White! So I figured, instead of reviewing them separately, why not review them together and point out the differences!

“Snus Guy, we’ve heard that the only difference between Skruf Stark regular portion and White portion was the color of the portions!” It’s the main difference but not the only one. I have found a few more that you may be interested in! So, let’s get started reviewing them, beginning with Skruf Stark portion snus!

Skruf Stark portion snus and Skruf Stark White portion snus are the product of the folks at Skruf AB. Skruf Stark portion really has a pretty good story to tell due to the fact that it was the first strong portion snus to go over the 11 mgs of Nicotine per portion hurdle! “But Snus Guy, doesn’t General Maxi portion have 14 mgs of Nicotine per portion? Since it came out in 2004, wouldn’t that make it the first strong portion?” Great question! While General Maxi does have 14 mgs of Nicotine per portion, it is actually a Maxi portion meaning that it has almost double the amount of snus per portion than Skruf Stark portion. That’s why there is a high amount of Nicotine in General Maxi and what makes Skruf Stark portion’s story so good!

Skruf Stark portion was introduced into the snus world back in 2005 so, it’s really is the first of the high Nicotine, regular sized portion snus! Each portion has 1 gram of snus and there are 24 portions in each can. The portions in Skruf Stark portions are regular type portions which, as you all remember, go thru an additional wetting process towards the end of manufacturing but this is another hitch in the story of Skruf Stark portion!

Most regular type portions are wet. Not the kind of wet like they’re soaking in liquid but, have a moist look and feel in the lip from the start. Skruf Stark portions really don’t have that. They do have the trademark immediate flavor that other regular portions do but run less. Why, you ask? It’s because the snus inside the portion material is more moist that in other portions. This is what gives them the immediate flavor release while not being as prone to running as other regular portions! “Sounds pretty good Snus Guy but, how do they feel under your lip?”

Well, the portion material is pretty soft to the touch but has the same feel as most other regular portion snus. One would think that since the portion material isn’t as moist as a normal regular portion, Skruf Stark’s portions would be a little irritating but, that’s not the case! I’ve had a portion in for up to 3 hours with only a bit of wrinkling under the lip but, no discomfort to speak of. As I’ve said before, the Nicotine is pretty much gone after about 30 to 45 minutes but the flavor lasts much longer! Now, let’s talk about Skruf Stark White portion’s history and feel!

Skruf Stark White portion snus was released in February 2009 as a true “White” type portion snus. I feel that the reason for Skruf to release Skruf Stark in a White type was the fact that, at the time of its release, the majority of the Extra Stark/Extra Sterk/Extra Strong snus brands were produced as white types. So, in order to bring Skruf Stark into the race for the Strongest Snus around, Skruf released a White version of its strongest snus!

While most of the characteristics of Skruf Stark White are the same as Skruf Stark’s, the portion material seems to be a bit softer in White. It’s basically due to the portions not going thru the extra step. The other differences are when the flavor is released and how long it lasts.

With Skruf Stark White, the flavor takes a bit go get going unlike the regular. Let me explain a bit. Where the flavor in the regular Skruf Stark pretty much comes on within a minute or two, Skruf Stark White takes about 10 minutes to begin flowing but, that’s not a bad thing. The flavor in White lasts about 2 ½ hours where with the regular, the flavor lasts about 2 hours. A common thing in both is that when they hit their maximum time limits for flavor, the portions get bitter. It’s almost like a timer for me that says “Hey! Snus Guy! You’re not getting any more flavor out of us! It’s time to change us out!” Knowing this, I recommend a 2 hour max for both for full enjoyment!

“Ok Snus Guy, how about taste already?” Ok, let me say this about the can first and we’ll get to the flavor! The cans in all Skruf products are pretty much the same, no matter if its loose snus or portion snus, with exception of the lids. They all are made of white plastic and both Skruf Stark and Skruf Stark White have used portion compartments in the lid. The design of the labels is the same as well. The only difference is the color of the band and the marking on the top. The band for Skruf Stark is red and the band for White is black. Also, the top of White has a label where the top on Skruf Stark portion is embossed. I know you probably didn’t really need to know that but, I find it easier when I grab for them in the morning. I just look for the color of the band! Ok, enough about the can and my weird way of finding them, on to the taste!

One would think the flavors in Skruf Stark portion and Skruf Stark White portions would be pretty much identical but this is not the case. Skruf describes them to taste of Rose Oil and Bergamot. For those Snustopians that don’t know what a Bergamot tastes like, it tastes like a cross between an orange, a lemon and a grapefruit. Most Snustopians describe it as a citrus flavor but have a hard time pinpointing which one of the three. I liken it to a bitter orange taste but, in both Skruf Starks, it’s more of a red grapefruit taste. A little sour, a little sweet and just the right amount of the bitter grapefruit taste in the background. What I didn’t really taste in the regular type was the Rose Oil!

“Snus Guy! What does Rose Oil taste like?” Glad you asked. It’s really not a taste you can sense with your taste buds. It’s more of a flavor you pickup in the back of your mouth, almost like a scent. If you read the Skruf Stark Lös review, I can sense the Rose Oil in the loose version. In the regular portions, it’s pretty much nonexistent. It’s not a total loss though. The trade off is the slight peppery taste that enhances the Bergamot flavor. In the White version, the Rose Oil scent is pretty much the same as in the loose. It’s not a “Wow, I smell Roses when I have a White portion in” type of flavor, it’s more of a flowery taste much like tea has. In all honesty, imagine a cup of black tea with lemon and you’d be pretty close to Skruf Stark White’s flavor. Sadly though, as I said above, the flavor only lasts about 2 to 2 ½ hours and the portions get bitter so, for maximum enjoyment, I still stick to the 2 hour max! Now, let’s talk drinks!

My staples, Diet Coke and Monster Energy drinks, played well with both types but overall did really well with the regular portions. Black teas like Earl Grey did better with the regular portions too because of the predominant Bergamot flavor. Here’s where it gets a bit weird though. I tried Iced Earl Grey with the White version and it was a bit too strong for it. It seemed to overtake the Rose Oil flavor but, did enhance the tobacco flavor! The best thing I’ve found to go well with both was lemonade!

Yes, you heard me right, lemonade. I know, there’s only been one other snus I’ve said went well with it but, now there’s three. In the regular portion type, the lemonade enhanced the Bergamot flavor while bringing the tobacco taste to the front more. In the White portion type, the lemonade did something completely surprising! While it did the same thing as in the regular type, with the White type, it actually enhanced the Iced Tea flavor and created a flavor similar to an “Arnold Palmer”! For those Snustopians that don’t play golf, an Arnold Palmer is a drink made with half Iced Tea and half lemonade. It was really surprising!

My overall recommendations for Skruf Stark regular portion and White portion Snustopians, is this; Skruf Stark portion snus is the original strong portion snus. For those Snustopians who want to experience what it was like before the current Extra Strong/Extra Sterk/Extra Stark race at a time when 14 mgs of Nicotine was the king, then Skruf Stark portion is a definite “must try”! New Snustopians who want to start the race slowly will enjoy it as well. Current fans of Skruf Stark portions will find that Skruf Stark White portion has the same basic flavor as their favorite does, with a twist. Overall, I really do recommend that you give both a try!

Both Skruf Stark portion and Skruf Stark White portion can be found at Snustopia’s favorite snus shop, The Northerner, for around $3.72 USD each. If this is your first time placing an order with them, just click on the banner at the top of the page and get 10% off!

Well Snustopians, I hope you enjoyed our trip thru Skruf Stark portion and Skruf Stark White portion by Skruf AB. Please feel free to leave your questions, comments and suggestions! I look forward to hearing and answering them.

Until our next review, as always,

Happy Snussing!

That Snus Guy

Nick & Johnny East and West portion snus. A review of a unique pair of Swedish snus!

Greetings Snustopians!

You all may be asking yourselves why I picked Nick & Johnny East and West portion snus to do a review on today. Well, there are a couple of reasons. First, Nick & Johnny East and West are truly very unique, from their Nicotine contents to their tastes to their cans! Second, I’ve been meaning to review them for a while now but the last reason is the most important one! I’ll explain later about the last one but let’s get right into the review of Nick & Johnny East and West portion snus!

I know what you’re thinking, “Snus Guy! Why are you doing a review on just two of the Nick & Johnny family when there are a total of three? ” True, there are three in the Nick & Johnny family but, like I said in the beginning, there is a big reason why I want to only focus on these two for now. I promise it’ll all become clear towards the end! So, on to the review!

Both Nick & Johnny flavors are made by the folks at Swedish Match and are white portion snus types. As you remember, white portion snus do not go thru the additional wetting step and the portion material is white. Both have portions that have about .84 grams of snus per portion and 24 portions in each can. The material is the same soft, tea bag type material that Swedish Match uses in all of its white portions and has a pretty comfortable feel under the lip, even after 3 hours but, I recommend about a 2 hour max!

The cans that Nick & Johnny come in is the first unique thing about them, the cans are often referred to as “Coffin” cans due to their shape. Take a look at the cans to the left. You can see that the cans do indeed resemble coffins but that’s not really what Swedish Match had in mind when they designed them.

You see, Swedish Match developed Nick & Johnny East and West to be a snus that would cater to Snustopians that were in their 20’s and 30’s or “The Hip Crowd” so, they started with the can. The can was actually made to resemble a cell phone! If you take another look at the cans, they succeeded in doing just that! The cans even have a used portion compartment under the trendy graphic on top. Speaking of the graphic, it too is unique in the fact that they differ not only between East and West but, differ within each brand! By the way, Nick & Johnny are, in fact, real guys according to Swedish Match! I know…..”Enough about the cans Snus Guy! What kind of Nicotine punch do Nick & Johnny East and West pack?” I’m glad you asked that actually.

Another unique, albeit disappointing, thing about Nick & Johnny East and West is their Nicotine contents. The Nick & Johnny family is pretty interesting in the fact that 2 of the 3 snus varieties are strong portions. East is the black sheep! West has a Nicotine content of 11 mg. per portion while East has 8 mg. per portion. The disappointing thing is that it can be confusing to new Snustopians. In the beginning, it was to me! So, remember Snustopians, N & J East has a lower amount of Nicotine that West does and you won’t be disappointed like I was at first! So, let’s go on to tastes.

East and West have two very different tastes. Although they look the same, they taste completely different from one another! Let’s start with Nick & Johnny West. West’s flavor is described by Swedish Match as ”A strong snus with a higher level of nicotine, classic and full tobacco taste” but, there’s more to it than just tobacco flavor! Tobacco does play the lead in West but, lemon and just a bit of a peppery note are there as well. I liken it to a dulled down Onyx taste with less pepper. There is a slight burn in the back of the throat from the higher Nicotine level but it’s pretty subtle.

Nick & Johnny West’s flavor lasts a pretty respectable amount of time as well! I’ve had a portion in for about 2 ½ hours before the flavor went a bit flat so, I recommend about a 2 hour max. Now that you know about Nick & Johnny West, let’s meet his little brother, Nick & Johnny East! The difference will surprise you!

Nick & Johnny East is a complete 180° from Nick & Johnny West, flavor wise. Swedish Match describes Nick & Johnny East as “A snus with full tobacco taste and an oriental influence with hints of cardamom and citrus”. Here, I believe, Swedish Match’s description is good but, some Snustopians may not really know what cardamom tastes like so, I’ll do my best to describe the taste. The taste of East is really close to same flavor of a fruit flavored gum called Juicy Fruit. “Snus Guy! Nick & Johnny tastes like Juicy Fruit?” Well, yes and no.

The juicy fruit flavor is a background flavor. East’s flavor is a mild tobacco in the front and a lightly sweet, fruity flavor in the background along with a bit of spices. Cardamom is a sweet, Far Eastern spice that’s used mostly in baking and exotic dishes. Swedish Match wanted East to have an exotic, Far East flavor but, I feel they created a snus with an exotic, tropical flavor when they added the citrus taste to it. To be honest, Nick & Johnny East could be a close replacement for Camel SNUS Spice, in the flavor department and the Nicotine department!

Nick & Johnny East’s flavor lasts just as long as West’s flavor does and, I recommend the same time of 2 hours max with East as well!

“Well Snus Guy, you’ve told us about most of the unique things about Nick & Johnny East and West but, you’re not forgetting the big reason why you wanted to review it, are you?” Nope! Let’s go into that now and I’ll give you my recommendations after.

Nick & Johnny East and West were among the first snus brands I purchased back when I started using Swedish snus. Both were launched early in 2008 which makes them relatively new snus varieties but, sometimes a snus variety will be discontinued by the manufacturer for many reasons but the most common reasons are popularity and sales. Unfortunately Snustopians, this will happen to Nick & Johnny East and West in May 2009.

As you all know Snustopians, I try my best to write unbiased reviews and basically stick to giving you an honest and accurate account of whatever snus we happen to be reviewing. So, in knowing this, I must say this one time, that I, my fellow Snustopians, will be saddened to see Nick & Johnny East and West go! So, now that I have that off my chest, let’s look at what to drink!

As you all probably know by now, my staple drinks are Diet Coke and Monster energy drinks so, let’s start with them! Diet coke did do well with Nick & Johnny West but, didn’t fare well with East. The Diet Coke made the flavors in the snus go a bit weird. Monster had the same effect with East. The best thing I have tried so far was iced tea, Green tea to be exact. The light flavor of the tea helped to bring out the tobacco flavor in both but not to the point of being overpowering. In Nick & Johnny East, it actually enhanced the cardamom flavor as well!

My overall recommendations for Nick & Johnny West and East Snustopians, is this; For Nick & Johnny West, this snus would be great for the new Snustopian that wants to begin to explore the world of strong snus. With 11 grams of Nicotine per portion, it’s basically the ground floor! Experienced Snustopians can’t go wrong with a can or two as a mid level Nicotine snus as well!

For Nick & Johnny East, Snustopians looking for a snus that has a bit of sweetness with a little spice flavor will really like Nick & Johnny East! On the other hand, Snustopians that are fans of higher Nicotine snus varieties or the Extra Sterk/Extra Strong/Extra Stark snus types, will find Nick & Johnny East a bit too weak.
In any event, if you have never tried Nick & Johnny East or West, I recommend you try, at least one can of each before it becomes discontinued! Prices for Both Nick & Johnny East and West average between $3.00 USD and $4.00 USD depending on which shop you buy it from but, if you click on The Northerner banner at the top of the page, and it’s your first order,  you’ll get 10% off the entire order!

Well Snustopians, I hope you found this review of Nick & Johnny East and West helpful and informative! I look forward to reading, and answering, any questions or comments you may have. If you don’t feel comfortable leaving a comment or, have a question you don’t want to leave in the comment section, just click “Ask That Snus Guy”! I’ll do my best to answer them all!

So, until our next review,

Happy Snussing!

That Snus Guy

Elixyr Power Energy portion snus. A truly unbiased snus review!

Welcome Back Snustopians!

While I was doing research on the internet for another snus to review, I came across a snus brand that I had completely forgotten about. This snus was one of the first snus brands I had tried and one of the reasons I had decided to create Snustopia in the first place! That snus brand is Elixyr Power Energy portion snus by Rebel Tobacco.

Now, if you’re like me (Which you must be! You’re here because you searched for snus on the web!), you see hundreds of different brands of snus on the market and will usually buy based on what others have thought or, what you’ve read about the taste. Don’t feel bad Snustopians, that’s how I used to buy snus! In most forums though, Elixyr Power Energy rates at the top of the “Love it” or “Hate it” list. It even tops Phantom Blue with the consensus leaning more towards the “Hate it” side rather than the “Love it”. So, since I regularly color outside the lines, I made the decision and ordered a couple cans of Elixyr Power energy.

“Snus Guy! If you read that most people really didn’t like it, why try it?” Good question. As you all know, my two favorite drinks are Diet Coke and Monster Energy Drinks. Since Elixyr Power Energy has the same basic ingredients that a Monster does, I thought “what the heck, I’ll give it a go!” That and the fact of wanting to give Elixyr Power Energy a fair and unbiased review! So, if you’re ready to go, sit back, relax and let’s begin our review of Elixyr Power Energy snus by Rebel Tobacco!

Elixyr Power energy is a regular type portion snus. As you remember, regular type means that it has gone thru the additional step to add a bit more moisture to the material. Each portion has a little less than a gram of snus and there are 24 portions in each can. Each portion contains about 11 mg of Nicotine as well. The portion material is the typical tea bag type but a bit softer than most which makes them very comfortable under the lip. I classify Elixyr as a lower priced snus so, when I say that the portion material is softer than most, I mean lower priced brands. Elixyr’s feel under the lip is comparable to General regular portions or Gotlandssnus portions.

I’ve had a portion in for over 3 hours with very little discomfort but, after the 2 ½ hour mark the portion begins to get a bit weird feeling so, I recommend about 2 ½ hours max on feel only! When we get to the taste part, you’ll see why I make this distinction. Ok, now that you know the feel of Elixyr Power Energy, let’s get into the most talked about part, the taste!

The taste of Elixyr Power Energy is probably the most unique taste I’ve come across in a Swedish snus! Rebel describes Power Energy as a complement or substitute for energy drinks or coffee but doesn’t offer any explanation of the taste other than tobacco and lemon. Actually, when I was trying to find info on Elixyr Power Energy in the beginning, pretty much every online store offered the same description! This is another reason why I decided to review it.

Elixyr Power Energy has the same energizing ingredients in it as Monster Energy and Red Bull does meaning Caffeine, Taurine and Guarana. These 3 ingredients are what give energy drinks their kick! “So, what does that have to do with the flavor Snus Guy?” I’m getting to that! The way Elixyr is described; one would think it tastes like Red Bull or Monster. Well, it doesn’t. There are hints of lemon and some sweetness and, after a while a small bit of tobacco flavor comes thru but, that’s it.

Look again at how Rebel describes Elixyr Power Energy, specifically at the “complements” piece. The taste of Power Energy by its self is, well, pretty harsh. The Taurine and Caffeine gives the snus a bitter taste and really masks the lemon and tobacco flavors. But, combine it with an energy drink or drinks with strong flavors and, you have a great substitute for those power shot drinks!

In my experience, Elixyr Power Energy’s effectiveness lasts about 45 minutes. This snus is one of the only snus I suggest to change out after about 45 minutes. “Why Snus Guy? Is the taste really bad?” No. Elixyr Power Energy was created to be an energizing snus and, after 45 minutes, the Nicotine, Caffeine and other energizing ingredients are basically absorbed and the snus tends to get bitter. So, knowing that Elixyr Power Energy was made to accompany drinks, let’s discuss them now!

As I said before, Elixyr Power Energy is the perfect accompaniment to energy drinks. My staple Monster Energy drink went extremely well! With Monster, I could actually make out the lemon and a hint of tobacco flavor which was surprising. Red Bull did well also but in a different way. Red Bull tends to have a slight medicine taste. Elixyr Power Energy helped to mask that taste and added a bit of sweetness to the drink.
I know there are Snustopians that really don’t care for energy drinks due to the medicine taste so; I tried Elixyr Power Energy with a high caffeine drink, Mountain Dew!

It was as if Rebel created Power Energy for it! Mountain Dew, in my opinion, is too sweet so I was a bit leery when I first thought about trying it. I was really shocked when I did! The bitterness in the snus dulled down the sweetness and added another layer of taste. It also did really well in adding that extra kick. In essence, it recreated Monster without the medicine taste! I tried it with coffee and it was, well, a taste disaster! Strong teas like Earl Grey and other Black teas faired a bit better but, energy drinks and Mountain Dew were the best!

My overall recommendation for Elixyr Power energy portion snus by Rebel Tobacco Snustopians is this. Elixyr Power Energy is a very unique snus and not for everyone. I believe it caters to Snustopians that enjoy energy drinks or, want to add the energy jolt to their drinks without adding the medicine taste. So, if you’re a Snustopian, like me, that loves energy drinks or, Mountain Dew, you can’t go wrong with adding Elixyr Power Energy to your rotation. For those Snustopians that don’t like energy drinks or, like to use portions with little or no drinks, I really don’t recommend Elixyr Power Energy but, like I always say, tastes differ and the choice is yours!

Elixyr Power Energy really does offer a great value for those that like it. At an average of $2.67 USD per can you really can’t go wrong with it! You can save even more money by visiting Snustopia’s number one snus store, The Northerner, by clicking on the banner at the top of this page and, if this is your first time ordering from them, get 10% off at checkout!

Well Snustopians, I hope you found our trip thru Elixyr Power Energy portion snus by Rebel Tobacco informative. I also hope I revealed some of the mystery behind it as well! Please feel free to leave any comments or questions you may have and I’ll do my best to answer them!
As always,

Happy Snussing!

That Snus Guy

General Ekstra Sterk Portion snus, a suprisingly strong snus review!

Welcome back Snustopians!
I must first admit that, I’ve been a bit nervous about reviewing General Ekstra Sterk snus! As you all know, I do quite a bit of research before and during a review and, before actually tasting this snus, I went to a few forums, just to see what was being said about it.

Overall, the consensus was that General Ekstra Sterk was really, really strong! Since we began our journey thru snus and Snustopia, I’ve felt my tolerance to nicotine actually fall a little so, I worried what the “Strongest snus in the world” would do to me and, would I be able to give the same unbiased reviews you all have come accustomed to reading from me!

The answer……..you’ll have to read on to find out!

General Ekstra Sterk portion snus is another fine offering from the folks at Swedish Match. Ekstra Sterk was first launched in Norway at the end of October 2008 and is advertised as “The strongest snus in the world” for a good reason! Each original portion contains 15 mg. of Nicotine!

I know what you’re thinking; “now that’s ALOT of Nicotine, Snus Guy!” It is but, it’s not what you think. There are some snus manufacturers out there whose only goal was purely to see how high they can get the Nicotine level to in their snus, no matter what it did to the taste. That’s not the case with Ekstra Sterk. Swedish Match not only raised the Nicotine level but, enhanced the flavor as well!

“Snus Guy…..You’re starting to sound like an advertisement for General! Less praise, more review!” Sorry, I got off track so, on to the taste!

I’ve heard that some snus lovers liken the taste to a mix of General Sterk and Onyx. I, on the other hand, get a completely different one! While Ekstra Sterk does maintain the salt and peppery citrus taste that we’ve all come to associate with most of the General portion brands, this snus has something different. “What could it be?” you may ask. A smoky component that really brings out the tobacco flavor! This is from a “Smoke food flavoring” that has been added to the recipe.

“Smoky flavor? Do you mean like actual smoke?” No. I guess the best way to explain it would be like this; if you remember back to my review on General Onyx, I had compared the taste of it to, a grilled Lemon with salt and pepper. Take that same analogy and, add hickory smoke and, a light, pure tobacco flavor to it and, you have the taste of Ekstra Sterk! It’s quite good actually.

The portions are a bit unique as well. While most General portions are 1 gram of snus each, Ekstra Sterk’s portions are a little more than 1 gram. This means instead of the usual 24 portions in a can, there are 22 in a can of Ekstra Sterk. As I said in the beginning, General Ekstra Sterk Portions are “Large, original” type portions. The material used is the same material that is used in General Original portions and, pretty easy on the gums.

I said in the Claq Qui review, higher Nicotine snus tend to leave a slight burn in the back of the throat and, can be bitter so, you would think Ekstra Sterk would have more than a slight burn since it has 15 mg. of Nicotine and, be quite bitter. Not so with Ekstra Sterk. Actually, there’s very little burn and, only gets bitter after about two hours of being in.

You’re probably sitting there saying “great taste review Snus Guy but, how about the Nicotine?” Well, it’s surprising really! One would think that there would be an immediate kick that would send your head spinning but, in my experience, not so! While you can definitely feel there is more Nicotine in Ekstra Sterk, it’s not what you would expect. Since the Nicotine in snus is released over time, the immediate kick one would expect is not there. What you get is a bigger release over time which, if you’re a new snus lover here in Snustopia, can feel like the first cigarette in the morning but, lasting about 30 minutes.

As for the length of time for a portion, I’ve had a portion in for over 2 hours with very little flavor loss but, can get a little bitter at the two and a half hours mark. For the new snus lover, I’d recommend General Ekstra Sterk portions as the first thing in the morning snus but, would take care until you get used to the higher Nicotine amount!

What to drink, you may ask? Look at pairings this way. Since Ekstra Sterk has a smoky flavor, drinks that go with smoky foods, go well with Ekstra Sterk. As you all know, Diet Coke is the first thing I try with ANY snus! It’s ok but, Southern Style Sweet Tea really goes well! Ekstra Sterk’s taste reminds me of barbeques we used to have when we lived down south. Sweet tea was always at every one. Lemonade is another great drink that pairs well.

If I could still drink beer, Guinness or another dark beer would go great! The smokiness and tobacco flavor would really come out with them. A nice Weiss bier would bring the citrus out as well!

Overall, General Ekstra Sterk Portion snus is a definite “must try” snus for all Snustopians! I really do recommend you try a can and experience the World’s Strongest Snus for yourselves. The average cost for a can is $3.75 USD at most online shops and, worth the purchase!

As always, I welcome your questions and comments and, will do my best to reply to them all!

Happy Snussing,

That Snus Guy!